Building Resiliency and Creating Innovation in the Digital Age Through Leadership and Human-Connection

Abstract

A soft skills gap is evident in all business sectors. The future of competition and innovation in America is dependent upon a strong workforce rooted in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) to facilitate and connect technology with humanity. The study conducted 27 interviews with STEM employers in the top-growing healthcare industry to identify emerging skills and strategies needed for innovative growth in the future of the healthcare industry. Hearing their voices through semi-constructive interviews, all participants (100%) indicated the demand would only increase for future STEM college graduates. Most respondents (93%) identified leadership starting with self-leadership and the ability to connect with others (89%) on top of their emerging soft skills. They indicated that the key to innovation in the digital age resides in our competencies to unite humanity and technology to facilitate decision-making and effectively deliver results.